


Confined

by Excaliburstark



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Angst with a Happy Ending, College, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, High School, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Sort Of, Touch-Starved, cause I'm crappy at snogging scenes, loner merlin, the closest thing to a make out without any actual making out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-05-31 18:02:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19431238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Excaliburstark/pseuds/Excaliburstark
Summary: Merlin sighed, collapsing in on himself like a deflated balloon. "My magic... It means people can't touch me, they get hurt."





	Confined

The place oozed with something powerful, the stained sunlight that drifted in through the window cast shadows that danced. Magic radiated through the walls, under the carpet, it swirled in the air like an invisible ballet. Some of the paint brushes rattled and the cups of water left out by careless students bubbled. 

Despite this, Arthur didn't notice the aura as he stumbled into the art room. He'd left his sketch book behind in his hurry to be first in the lunch queue. 

He glanced around the paint splattered room in search of it before he noticed the boy. He was crouched by one of the tables, near the crappy sink the students used to wash paint and various other gunk off like paper maché.

The boy looked up. Two wide sapphire eyes twinkled, flushing with gold that seemed to trickle in like paint on wet paper. Dark, thick eyelashes framed those peculiar eyes and created charcoal smudges on his cheeks as they lowered. They were fluttering slightly, Arthur realised, from the effort of the spell he was casting. 

He recognised the boy. He'd seen him around school, always walking by himself usually with his bright red headphones on. He always wore gloves as well, no matter what the weather or the season. Everyone knew Merlin had magic, he was one of the few whom Arthur's father, the headmaster of Camelot, had let in despite his magic. He wasn't wearing gloves now.

Golden specks, like fairy dust hovered in the air around Merlin. Arthur was memorized, he wanted to touch it. A sharp inhale stopped his outstretched hand from doing so, he snapped it back when he saw those blue eyes on him. Arthur felt himself blush. 

He lowered himself, kneeling by Merlin and trying not to look at the disgusting linoleum floor. The boy looked at him, face blank but he was clearly distressed. It was tangible in the shimmering magic that coated him. 

Arthur stretched a hand out, intending to touch Merlin's shoulder reassuringly and ask him what was wrong but the boy snapped away from him, cracking his head against the sink hard. He scrambled back, shoving himself away from Arthur's hand. 

Arthur tried to reach him again, to check his head. It had smacked painfully against the porcelain sink.  
"Don't!" Merlin said sharply. He scarped further away, as though Arthur's touch would burn him. 

Arthur was puzzled, and he wouldn't lie, a little hurt. Sure, Merlin didn't know him but Arthur didn't have a disease or something just cause he didn't have magic. Arthur probably would've said so in a rather snappy indignant tone if it weren't for the scared look that now covered Merlin's face. 

"Stay away. Stay away from me." Merlin's voice wobbled, his fingers curled into his hair and tugged viciously. He rest his forehead against his knees to cover his face. Arthur's heartbeat picked up, thrummed underneath his skin. Something was seriously wrong. 

"Why don't you want me to touch you? Has someone-" Arthur took a breath. "Has someone-" 

Merlin was shaking his head before Arthur had finished but the strange snuffling noises and his watery eyes gave Arthur no reassurance.

"Merlin, what-" Arthur was cut off again. 

"How do you know my name?" There was an edge to his tone now, it made Arthur's hair stand on end. 

"Because its your name? We have history together. I sit next to you." 

Merlin relaxed a little but looked unconvinced. He sighed, collapsing in on himself like a deflated balloon. "My magic... It means people can't touch me, they get hurt."

Arthur looked puzzled at that. "What?" Was this a joke? Was Merlin having him on? 

The vague angry-upset look on Merlin's face prevented the laughter bubbling up in Arthur's throat. Oh, so this wasn't a joke. 

Arthur's eyebrows drew together like beads on a string. Did Merlin really think that? 

Arthur was now sat properly, his legs folded up in front of him. His feet crisscrossed and his knees were pressed into his chest, similar to how Merlin was sitting. Arthur's back leant uncomfortable against a table leg. "Why do you think that?" 

Merlin gave a wet laugh, voice clogged with emotions. "Because, I've seen it. My best friend Will- He-" Merlin gulped. "He touched my hand and he got hospitalised." 

Arthur frowned. "Correlation not causation?" He suggested. 

Merlin looked at him. "His veins glowed gold before he fell to the floor."

Arthur looked down, his hands were folded together as well one over the other. He traced his fingernail. 

"Is that why you always wear gloves?" Arthur inquired. A feeble nod was the response. 

"What about your mother? Surely she is able to touch you?" Arthur couldn't help the curiosity gnawing at him.

Merlin looked truly distraught now, streaks of silvery tears were falling in rapid succession down Merlin's face. They dripped from his chin and stained his cheeks. 

"Until I hit puberty she could. Then suddenly she couldn't anymore. I was alone. No one's been able to so much as hold my hand since I was thirteen." Arthur's heart ached for Merlin. 

That meant Merlin had never even kissed anyone, hadn't hugged someone. Arthur yearned to reach out to him but he knew Merlin would thrash away before he could.  
Arthur swallowed. He didn't understand what any of this meant. His legs were starting to cramp, he stretched them out. 

"But I've touched you? That's why I thought you were kidding." Arthur explained. 

Merlin looked up at that, he brushed the backs of his hands across his face and whispered a spell to get the smeared salt water off his skin. 

"What? No, you can't have. When?" Merlin questioned, voice sluggish. His nose was stuffy and he was wearing a peculiar expression, caught between hope and crushing despair. 

"In history. I dropped my pen and my arm brushed yours. I'm sure of it. This wasn't very long ago, maybe last week?" Arthur said. 

"You- Are you messing with me?" Merlin asked. His eyes suddenly blazed a fiery gold. "Do you think this is funny?" 

"No, no." Arthur put his hands up. "I'm telling the truth. Touch me." He suggested, eyes sincere as they focused on Merlin. 

Merlin scoffed and looked away. "I'm serious, touch me." He moved forward but Merlin yanked his hand away. 

"What if your wrong?" Merlin's voice sounded empty, his eyes wore a vacant expression. "I can't hurt anyone else, I won't." 

"You won't, you won't hurt me. I'm sure of it." Arthur reassured softly. "Please, try it." 

He held his hand out. 

Merlin reluctantly placed his palm against Arthur's outstretched one. A beat passed. 

"Why- How? I don't understand. How is this possible? My whole life I haven't been able to truly touch someone." 

"Come here." Arthur said, cutting through Merlin's rambling. He pulled the boy close to him and leaned him against his chest. 

Arthur braced his legs and let the table leg dig into his back painfully, so that Merlin could fully flatten himself to Arthur. Merlin pushed his face into the junction at Arthur's neck. He clasped a hand behind Arthur's head and lay the other over his heart to steady himself. 

Arthur breathed heavily, it stirred Merlin's dark strands. He stroked up and down Merlin's back in a soothing manner. He smoothed the creases in Merlin's clothes and let Merlin rest his head in the crook of his shoulder. "Its okay, its okay." Arthur whispered over and over into the boys ear. 

"Take off your shirt." Merlin mumbled. 

"What?" Arthur asked dumbly. Merlin repeated it, still muffled by Arthur's hair. 

With his heart beating fast and his fingers shaking slightly, Arthur swallowed before carefully unbuttoning his top. He let it splay open on either side to reveal his torso. Merlin's greedy hands drew lines over it, he pressed a kiss to Arthur's breastbone and continued a light trail before covering Arthur's chest with his own clothed one. 

Merlin was soon scrambling out of his ratty t-shirt to properly press against Arthur. He sighed contentedly, his light wispy breath danced over the shell of Arthur's ear. Arthur moved slightly and Merlin fell further onto him. 

Arthur continued to stroke Merlin's hair and make reassuring noises. Merlin lightly kissed under Arthur's ear and his neck. Arthur went utterly still, heat flushing underneath his skin. Merlin stopped but continued to just hug Arthur. 

"Thank you." He whispered into Arthur's ear. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." Merlin repeated, still wrapped around him.

They stayed like that, huddled together, until the bell rang. 

Fin


End file.
